Ear-handling means for cornhusking mechanisms



Jan. 12, 1954 w, s v s $665,695

EAR-HANDLING MEANS FOR CORNHUSKING MECHANISMS Filed June 21, 1950 INVENTOR. WE. SLAVE N5 Patented Jan. 12,

EAR-HANDLING MEANS FOR CORNH'USKING MECHANISMS Way ne E. Slavens, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to Deere Manufacturing 00., Dubuque, Iowa, a

corporation of Iowa Application June 2 1, 1950, Serial No. 169,350

13 Claims. -1

This invention relates to a corn-husking mechanism and more particularly to improved means for handling ears of corn while they are traveling over the husking mechanism, whereby to increase the over-all operating efficiency of the husking mechanism.

The usual corn picker includes some form of mobile frame adapted to advance over a field of standing corn to snap ears therefrom by means of .a pair of snapping rolls or the like. These snapped ears are transferred from the snapping rolls to a first elevator in the form of an endless conveyor which in turn transfers the ears to the husking .rolls, normally/located just rearwardly of the snapping rolls. The husking rolls operate in pairs and the rollsof each pair are arranged so that their upper surfaces move together, thus seizing the corn husks .and stripping them from the ears as the ears continue to advance under the impetus of the first elevator. additional means are ,provided to facilitate the advance of the ears over the husking rolls.

When operating .a conventional husking mechanism in heavy trash conditions there is a tendency for the ears of corn, together with trash, to collect at the receiving end of the husking mechanism, causing at times ears to be conveyed over the bushing mechanism, without coming into contact with the husking rolls, and at other times to build up at the receiving end so as to require the operator to stop the machine and remove the accumulation of material at this point. Various forms of auxiliary conveying means have been providedin the form of rotating star wheels, ear'depressors, and the like, but the best these will do is cause the continuous movementof material over the rolls and will not effectively prevent ears from riding on top of trash or other ears, out of contact with the rolls. The principal object of this invention is to provide means for preventing building up of material at the receiving end of "the husking mechanism and at the same time prevent the possibility of ears riding upon other earsor trash through the hushing unit without coming into contact with the bushing mechanism thereof.

According to the present invention, a hiisking mechanism or unit including conventionally arranged rolls'is provided with improved means for securing the maximum efficiency of the unit. In its basic form, theinvention includes means movable over and lengthwise of the 'huskirig rolls to move a series :of longitudinally 'alined ears along the .rollsfat theoretically *the optimum linear speed consistent with efiicienthusking. Another In many cases,

phase of the invention involves the provision of A additional means for handling a layer or layers of ears above and in addition to the layer of cars being husked, so that ears from the additional layers are properly admitted to husking positions when ears in the first layer are husked. Itlis an important object of the invention to provide means of the character outlined in the form or apair of ear-handling means, each of which has pocket-forming elements providing a plurality or series of pockets in which at least one layer of cars can be carried, each pocket-forming means in the lower handling means being sufiiciently wide, long and deep to carry at least one ear r lengthwise thereof, so that the earslie lengthwise in a single row along the bite of the husking rolls, the pocket-forming means in the upper handling means overhanging the lower pockets and beingsufiiciently long, wide and deep prefer ably to carry a double row of ears in a second layer above the lower single row. In its simplest form, the invention has for an important object the provision of a pair of endless conveyors driven at diiierent linear speeds, oneabove the other and being preferably adapted to handle different quantities of ears of corn.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent as a preferred embodiment of the invention is, by way of example, described in the following detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view,partly in section and to some extent schematic, showing the snapping and 'husking units of a conventional corn picker modified by the addition thereto of ear-handling means constructed according to the principles of the invention; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 1 represents one form of what is known bly shown in Figure 1 extends longitudinally, or

. 3 in the direction of travel. The direction of travel is indicated by the arrow A. The unit includes snapping means comprising a pair of cooperative rotatable snapping rolls Hi operative to snap ears of corn from standing stalks as the picker advances. The snapped ears ultimately move toward the rear ends of the snapping rolls and move laterally in the direction of the arrow B to be. received by appropriate mechanism for movement again longitudinally, or in the direction of the arrow C, for ultimate discharge at the rear end of the picker as designated by the arrow D. 1;, The mechanism onto which the ears are del'ivered at B from the snapping rolls it may include appropriate supporting structure having what may be termed a longitudinally extending shelf or table 12 having a forward portion is and a rearward portion it. The shelf is interrupted intermediate its front and rear ends by a husking box is which contains a pair of cooperative husking rolls 2s rotatable in the direction of the arrows E- (Figure 2) and arranged lengthwise with respect to the shelf 52 and further disposed so that their upper surfaces are generally in or somewhat below the plane of the upper surface of the shelf. In other words, the disposition of the rolls 25 is such that cars changing direction at B-C can be moved longitudinally onto the rolls so as to be received by the bite of the rolls, such ears lying lengthwise along the rolls in a single row, as illustrated by the diagrammatic representation of an car at 22 in Figure 2, the bite being designated generally at 2 One ear of corn is likewise designated at 22 in Figure 1.

Part of the supporting structure with which the table 12 is associated may include driving means contained within a gear housing 26 from which the snapping rolls iii project forwardly and from which the husking rolls 29 project rearwardly. However, the details of the particular drive are relatively unimportant and may be varied to suit individual desires. The arrangement shown is merely representative and forms no detailed part of the present invention.

The husking box it includes a pair of laterally spaced outer and inner side walls as and 3D disposed in upright planes and depending below the plane of the table 52. The inner side wall 353 includes an upper wall extension 32, which is vertical for a short distance and is then offset or inclined inwardly at 34 and then continued vertically upwardly at it. The wall extension (it has a longitudinal inner marginal edge 33 defining one side of an open top it, the other marginal edge of which is defined at 52 by the upper portion of a vertical side sheet :4, the lower portion of which may be secured, as at 36, to the outer edge of the shelf l2.

The inner marginal edge of the shelf i2, as shown at it in Figure 2, slightly overlaps the proximate roll 29. A guide in the form of a vertical wall 5t has its lower edge flanged and mounted at 58. This wall or guide extends upwardly and then inclines outwardly at 52 to ulti--- mately join the upper portion of the outer sheet 44. Secondary wall structure, designated generally by the numeral 5 is associated with the Wall 50 to complete the guide means for a pair of ear-handling means preferably in the form of upper and lower endless conveyors 55 and 58. The lower conveyor is in the form of an endless chain or belt trained or looped at its front and rear ends respectively about front and rear sprockets or wheels as and E2 carried respectively at the front and rear end portions of the shelf l2 4 on upright shafts for rotation in a plane parallel to the plane of the shelf. The direction of movement of the conveyor 58 is designated by the arrow F in Figure l.

The upper conveyor 56 is movable above the lower conveyor 5tand likewise comprises an endless chain or belt carried respectively at its front and rear ends on sprockets or wheels 64 and 66 which are appropriately mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to the plane in which the sprockets cc and 62 rotate. The direction of movement of the conveyor 56 is indicated by the arrow G in Figure 1.

The sprockets 58 and 62 for the lower conveyor 53 are somewhat larger than the sprockets 64 and 66 for the upper conveyor. Likewise, the distance between the axes of the sprockets 6E] and 62 is considerably greater than the distance between the axes of the sprockets fi l and 66. The lateral or transverse offset between the axes of the sprockets is such that the inner runs 59a and 58a of the conveyors are in vertical alinement, whereas the outer runs 5% and 58b are laterally offset. The secondary wall or guide structure 54 is accordingly stepped at $3 and 1G to correspond to the oifset between the outer runs 561) and 58b of the conveyors. Thus, the conveyors are appropriately guided at both runs thereof by the guide structure 5il54.

The inner runs of the conveyors, in addition to being in vertical alinernent, operate along the inner marginal edge 48 of the shelf l2 and therefore are just above or in overhanging relationship with the outer husking roll 20. These two conveyors cooperate as ear-advancing means and ear-leveling means in a manner to be presently described.

The lower conveyor 53 has thereon a plurality of ear-engaging portions in the form of flights 12 so arranged that the flights on the inner run 58a project inwardly over the husking rolls 20 as shown in Figure 2. Each flight has a lower edge 74 and an upper edge giving the flight a height or vertical dimension somewhat less than one ear diameter above the bite 24 of the rolls 20. The length or lateral extent of the flights i2 is such that the free edge of each flight terminates just above the inner husking roll 2c. The ear confining characteristics of the husk box is are 8%) just above the inner husking roll as and clearmg the inner edges of the flights 72.

bafile issuch that the ears of corn, of which the ear 2 2 is representative, must lie lengthwise in the bite 26 of the rolls 20 in a single row.

The flights 12 are spaced apart lengthwise of l the conveyor 58 on the order of substantially one ear length between neighboring flights, as best illustrated in Figure 1.

ually received by the pockets or compartments formed by neighboring flights l2 and are straightened lengthwise as they enter the bite of thehusking rolls The depth of the pockets formed by the flights 72 is, as stated before, less than one ear diameter measured from the bite 24 of the rolls. Hence, the ears cannot pile up and be positively engaged by the flights 12 beyond a single layer; although, it is expected that additional ears of corn will pile up on the row of ears Thus the distance between the inner run 58a of the lower conveyor 5e and the marginal edge 86 on the Thus, as the ears enter 7 at B and change direction at C, they are individae-zzand'wouia be conveyed along with? the ears 22 by" frictional engagement between the ears, as' is the casein prior constructions in which the handling nieahsincludesonly acohveyor similar to the lower conveyor 58, apart from the dimensiohal characteristics heretofore described.

The upper conveyor 56 is likewise provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart flights 82, which are somewhat longer than the flights P2 of the lower conveyor 58; Because of the inclination of the baflle 18, the longer upper flights are accommodated, and, as will be seen from Figure 2, the transverse distance between the inner run 56a of the upper conveyor 56 and the baffle 18 is somewhat greater than two ear diameters. The flights 82 are spaced apart lengthwise of the conveyor 56 on the order of substantially one ear length between neighboring flights. Hence, the upper conveyor likewise provides a plurality of pockets for receiving ears. In this case, the dimensioning and relationship of these pockets to those provided by the lower flights 12 are such that a second quantity or layer of ears, designated at 84 and 86 in Figure 2, will be supported by the single lower row or layer at 22-. The rows at 84 and 86 comprise two lengthwise rows of ears. As shown in Figure'Z, the upper ears are tangent to the lower ears at a point above the upper edge 16 of the lower flights 12. Hence, the ears in the upper rows are not positively engaged by the lower flights 12. The vertical dimension of the upper flights is such that these flights do not positively engage ears in the lower row.

The ear-handling efficiency of the husking mechanism is further accentuated by the different linear speedsof the conveyors. For example, the lower conveyor may travel at approximately 175 feet per minute, while the upper conveyor travels at approximately 100 feet per minute. As the lower row of ears is being moved by the lower conveyor 58 over the husking rolls 20, the husks are being removed therefrom, and these hushed ears are relatively rapidly delivered over the rear end 16 of the table l2 in the direction of'the arrow D, this portion of the table comprising a discharge portion from which ears are discharged or transferred to any suitable receptacle, not shown, such as a wagon elevator as used in conventional corn pickers. Since the lower conveyor extends rearwardly beyond the upper conveyor, the husked ears from the lower row 22 are cleared out of the way. Further, since the upper conveyor travels at a slower linear speed, the upper rows of cars are not advanced as rapidly as the lower row. Hence, as ears in the lower row are hushed and advance more rapidly, ears from the upper rows 8 and 86 may drop into place to have the husl'rs removed therefrom by the rolls 20.

The pockets formed by the upper flights 82 of course open downwardly to thepockets formed by the lower flights 12, so that as ears are received from the snapping rolls at B, a considerable quantity of ears may be handled for ultimate leveling into the two layers described. Therefore, each layer of ears is separately handled by the conveyors 56 and 58. The primary function of the lower conveyor is to advance the ears, while that of the upper conveyor is to level or agitate the cars so that as lower ears are husked and moved more rapidly on their way, ears from the upper rows may move into place to be husked.

The guide structure comprising the parts 50 and 54, in addition to defining part of "the zone abovethe hiisking rolls 20*, appropriately guides? the two conveyors and insures continuous and eflicient operation.

Other important features not specifically enumerated herein will undoubtedly occur to those versed in the art, as likewise will numerous modiflcations and alterations in the preferred embodi-- ment of the invention illustrated, all of which may be achieved without departing from thespirit and scope'of the invention as defined in: the appended claims;

What is claimed is:

1. Corn-hustling mechanism, comprising: a pair of cooperative husking rolls arranged to receive ears of corn lengthwise in the bite thereof; means movable over and through a path sub-- stantially coextensive Withthe length of the rollsto advance ears thereal-ong, said means including! pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of upwardly opening pockets also opening downwardly to the bite of the rolls, each pocket being sufficiently long to receive at least one ear lengthwise therein and sufficiently deep to receive at least one ear resting in the bite of the rolls so that said advancing meansis capacitated to contain a quantity of ears distributed in at least one layer of cars including a plurality of ears lying in a row lengthwise along the bite of the rolls; leveling means for handling a second quantity of cars superimposed on the first row, said leveling means including pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of pockets opening upwardly and also opening downwardly to the pockets in the ear-advancing means, certain of said pockets in the leveling means being sufficiently long to contain at least one ear lengthwise therein, sufliciently deep to contain at least one ear resting on certain of the ears in the first quantity and suflieiently Wide to contain at least two cars side by side, whereby such second quantity of ears includes at least a pair of side-by-side rows of ears alined lengthwise of and resting on the ears in thefirst quantity, and means for confining the second quantity of ears against lateral escape from the pockets of said leveling means; and means for moving the ear-advancing means lengthwise of and relative to both the rolls and said leveling means.

Corn-husking mechanism, comprising: a pair of cooperative husking rolls arranged to receive ears of corn lengthwise in the bite thereof; means movable over and through a path substantially coextensive with the length of the rolls to advance ears therealong, said means including pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of upwardly opening pockets also opening downwardly to the bite of the rolls, each pocket being of such width, depth and length as to contain at least one ear lengthwise thereof and supported in the bite of the rolls, said pockets being alined lengthwise of the rolls so that at least certain of the ears contained therebylie in a single row along the bite of the rolls; levelingmeans for handling a second quantity of ears superimposed directly on the first row, said leveling means including pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of pockets arranged lengthwise over the advancing means opening upwardly and also opening downwardly to the pockets in the earadvancing means, certain of said pockets in the leveling mean being of such Width, length and depth to contain at least one ear lengthwise thereof and resting directly on the first row of ears, and means for confining thesecondquam tity of ears against lateral escape from the 7 pockets of said leveling means; and means for moving the ear-advancing means lengthwise of and relative to both the rolls and the leveling means.

3. Corn-husking mechanism, comprising: a pair of cooperative husking rolls arranged to receive ears of corn lengthwise in the bite thereof; means movable over and through a path substantially coextensive with the length of the rolls to advance ears therealong, said means including pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of upwardly opening pockets also opening downwardly to the bite of the rolls, each pocket being of such width, depth and length as to contain at least one ear lengthwise thereof and supported in the bite of the rolls, said pockets being alined lengthwise of the rolls so that at least certain of the ears contained thereby lie in a single row along the bite of the rolls; leveling means for handling a second quantity of ears superimposed directly on the first row, said leveling means including pocket-forming elements providing a plurality of pockets opening upwardly and also opening downwardly to the pockets in the earadvancing means, certain of said pockets in the leveling means being of such width, length and depth to contain atleast one ear lengthwise thereof and resting directly on the first row of cars, and means for confining the second quantity of cars against lateral escape from the pockets of said leveling means; means for moving the ear-advancing means over the huslzing. rolls at one linear speed; and means for moving the leveling means over the ear-advancing means at a diiferent linear speed.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, further characterized in that: provision is made for moving the leveling means at a linear speed below that of the ear-advancing means.

5. Corn-bushing mechanism, comprising; pair of cooperative husking rolls arranged to receive ears of corn lengthwise in the bite thereof; an upright guide running lengthwise of and alongside one of the rolls; ear-advancing means for moving ears along the rolls, including an endless conveyor having opposite runs separated by said guide so that one run is an inner run traveling above the rolls and the other run is an outer run remote from the rolls, said conveyor having a plurality of flights projecting therefrom to extend over both rolls when carried by said inner run; means including a wall alongside the other of the rolls and spaced from said inner run a distance less than the added diameters of the rolls so that ears carried between the flights of said inner run are confined generally in a layer between said Wall means and the guide; earhandling means, including a second endless conveyor having-an inner run traveling along the guide and an outer run remote from the guide, and having outwardly projecting flights overhanging and longer than the flights of the first conveyor; and second wall means offset outwardly beyond the first wall means to accommodate said longer flights and to provide a greater lateral space between said second wall means and the inner run of the second conveyor for confining a greater number of cars than in said first layer.

6. Corn-husking mechanism, comprising: elongated supporting structure having a receiving end and a discharge end spaced apart lengthwise thereof; a pair of elongated parallel, cooperative husking rolls extending lengthwise of the supporting structure and rotatable on parallel axes and. disposed so that the upper surfaces of the rolls provide a bite for receiving ears of corn at the receiving end of the supporting structure; ear-advancing means including a conveyor having wheels at a level above and spaced lengthwise of the rolls respectively adjacent the receiving and discharge ends of the supporting structure and rotatable on substantially upright axes, an endless member trained about the wheels so that one run of said member travels proximate to the rolls, and ear-engaging flights on the member and projecting from said run crosswise of the rolls for engaging received ears and for moving such ears along the bite of rolls from said receiving end to said discharge end, said flights being spaced apart lengthwise of the member a distance such that an ear will lie lengthwise between neighboring flights and each of said flights having an upper edge disposed at a height above the bite of the rolls less than the diameter of an car so that a single layer of ears will be moved by the conveyor over the rolls; first ear-confining means for preventing lateral escape of the cars from the rolls; leveling means carried by the supporting structure above the conveyor and extending between said receiving and discharge ends and movable lengthwise of and relative to the conveyor for receiving ears additional to those in said single layer, said leveling means including carengaging means therein closely spaced above the conveyor flights for engaging and moving said additional ears to the exclusion of ears in said single layer, said ear-engaging means opening downwardly so that the additional ears rest on the ears in said single layer; second ear-confining means for preventing lateral escape of the additional cars from the leveling means; and means for driving the conveyor and the leveling means so that the ears in said single layer are moved lengthwise of the rolls at a linear speed different from that of the additional ears.

7. The invention defined in claim 6, further including: the first ear-confining means is carried by the supporting structure generally parallel to said one run of the conveyor and spaced laterally therefrom at such distance as to confine said single layer of ears to a single line of ears lying in the bite of the rolls.

8. The invention defined in claim 1, further including: the second ear-confining means is positioned above and ofiset laterally from the first ear-confining means for cooperation with the ear-engaging means of the leveling means to maintain said additional ears generally in a sec- 0nd and higher layer substantially equal in width to two ear diameters.

9. The invention defined in claim 8, further characterized in that: the ear-engaging means of the leveling means provides a longitudinal series of ear-receiving pockets, each equal in length to substantially one ear length.

10. The invention defined in claim 6, further characterized in that: the leveling means comprises a second conveyor having wheels above and spaced lengthwise of the first conveyor and an endless member trained about said wheels with one run thereof arranged to travel closely above the level of the upper edges of the flights of the first conveyor.

11. The invention defined in claim 10, further characterized in that: the ear-engaging means of the leveling means comprise a plurality of earengaging flights spaced apart lengthwise of the second conveyor on the order of substantially one ear length between neighboring flights.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, further characterized in that: the wheels of said second conveyor are rotatable on upright axes, the endless member thereof is arranged so that the one run thereof travels just above said one run of the first conveyor, and the flights on said second conveyor extend above the flights of'the first conveyor and have lower edge portions disposed above the bite of the rolls a distance greater than one ear diameter but less than two ear diameters.

13. Corn-husking mechanism, comprising: an elongated husking box for receiving a quantity of ears of corn; elongated husking members arranged in side-by-side relationship at the bottom of the box to form an elongated bite to which the lowermost ears gravitate and in which such lowermost ears become alined in end-to-end relationship, with additional ears in the box sustained by said alined ears; a first conveyor substantially coextensive in length with the husking members movable through the box lengthwise of said members and at a certain linear speed, said conveyor having means thereon engaging the aligned ears to the exclusion of additional ears in the box for advancing the aligned ears lengthwise of the bite and thereby providing space in the bite for the gravitation of additional ears in the box; and a second conveyor substantially coextensive in length with the husking members and movable through the box lengthwise 0! said members and having means thereon engaging ears in the box other than the alined ears, and said second conveyor being movable at such linear speed relative to that of the first conveyor as to retard the lengthwise movement of such additional ears so that certain of such additional ears gravitate into the space provided by the advance of the initially alined ears.

WAYNE E. sLAvENs.

References Cited in, the flle of this patent 

